List of governors of California

This is a list of governors of the US state of California.

List

Governors of the State of California^[a]
No.		Term in office	Party	Election	Lt. Governor^[b]
1	Peter Hardeman Burnett	December 20, 1849^[c] – January 9, 1851 (resigned)^[d]	Democratic	1849		John McDougal
2	John McDougal	January 9, 1851 – January 8, 1852 (not candidate for election)		Succeeded from Lieutenant Governor		David C. Broderick (acting)
3	John Bigler	January 8, 1852 – January 9, 1856 (lost election)		1851		Samuel Purdy
3	John Bigler	January 8, 1852 – January 9, 1856 (lost election)		1853		Samuel Purdy
4	J. Neely Johnson	January 9, 1856 – January 8, 1858 (not candidate for election)	American	1855		Robert M. Anderson
5	John B. Weller	January 8, 1858 – January 9, 1860 (not candidate for election)	Democratic	1857		Joseph Walkup
6	Milton Latham	January 9, 1860 – January 14, 1860 (resigned)^[e]		1859		John G. Downey
7	John G. Downey	January 14, 1860 – January 10, 1862 (not candidate for election)		Succeeded from Lieutenant Governor		Isaac N. Quinn (acting) (term ended January 7, 1861)
7	John G. Downey			Succeeded from Lieutenant Governor		Pablo de la Guerra (acting)
8	Leland Stanford	January 10, 1862 – December 10, 1863 (not candidate for election)	Republican	1861		John F. Chellis
9	Frederick Low	December 10, 1863 – December 5, 1867 (not candidate for election)	Union	1863^[f]		Tim N. Machin
10	Henry Huntly Haight	December 5, 1867 – December 8, 1871 (lost election)	Democratic	1867		William Holden
11	Newton Booth	December 8, 1871 – February 27, 1875 (resigned)^[g]	Republican	1871		Romualdo Pacheco
12	Romualdo Pacheco	February 27, 1875 – December 9, 1875 (not candidate for election)	Republican	Succeeded from Lieutenant Governor		William Irwin (acting)
13	William Irwin	December 9, 1875 – January 8, 1880 (not candidate for election)	Democratic	1875		James A. Johnson
14	George Clement Perkins	January 8, 1880 – January 10, 1883 (not candidate for election)	Republican	1879		John Mansfield
15	George Stoneman	January 10, 1883 – January 8, 1887 (not candidate for election)	Democratic	1882		John Daggett
16	Washington Bartlett	January 8, 1887 – September 12, 1887 (died in office)	Democratic	1886		Robert Waterman^[h]
17	Robert Waterman	September 12, 1887 – January 8, 1891 (not candidate for election)	Republican	Succeeded from Lieutenant Governor		Stephen M. White^[i] (acting)
18	Henry Markham	January 8, 1891 – January 11, 1895 (not candidate for election)	Republican	1890		John B. Reddick
19	James Budd	January 11, 1895 – January 4, 1899 (not candidate for election)	Democratic	1894		Spencer G. Millard^[h] (died October 24, 1895)
19	James Budd		Democratic	1894		William T. Jeter
20	Henry Gage	January 4, 1899 – January 7, 1903 (not candidate for election)	Republican	1898		Jacob H. Neff
21	George Pardee	January 7, 1903 – January 9, 1907 (not candidate for election)		1902		Alden Anderson
22	James Gillett	January 9, 1907 – January 3, 1911 (not candidate for election)		1906		Warren R. Porter
23	Hiram Johnson	January 3, 1911 – March 15, 1917 (resigned)^[j]	Republican	1910		Albert Joseph Wallace
			Progressive	1914		John M. Eshleman (died February 28, 1916)
					Vacant
						William Stephens^[h] (took office July 22, 1916)
24	William Stephens	March 15, 1917 – January 8, 1923 (not candidate for election)	Republican	Succeeded from Lieutenant Governor	Vacant
24	William Stephens			1918		C. C. Young
25	Friend Richardson	January 8, 1923 – January 4, 1927 (not candidate for election)		1922		C. C. Young
26	C. C. Young	January 4, 1927 – January 6, 1931 (lost renomination)^[k]		1926		Buron Fitts (resigned November 30, 1928)
					Vacant
						Herschel L. Carnahan (appointed December 4, 1928)
27	James Rolph	January 6, 1931 – June 2, 1934 (died in office)		1930		Frank Merriam
28	Frank Merriam	June 2, 1934 – January 2, 1939 (lost election)		Succeeded from Lieutenant Governor	Vacant
28	Frank Merriam	June 2, 1934 – January 2, 1939 (lost election)		1934		George J. Hatfield
29	Culbert Olson	January 2, 1939 – January 4, 1943 (lost election)	Democratic	1938		Ellis E. Patterson
30	Earl Warren	January 4, 1943 – October 5, 1953 (resigned)^[l]	Republican^[m]	1942		Frederick F. Houser
				1946		Goodwin Knight
				1950		Goodwin Knight
31	Goodwin Knight	October 5, 1953 – January 5, 1959 (not candidate for election)^[n]	Republican	Succeeded from Lieutenant Governor		Harold J. Powers
31	Goodwin Knight		Republican	1954		Harold J. Powers
32	Pat Brown	January 5, 1959 – January 2, 1967 (lost election)	Democratic	1958		Glenn M. Anderson
32	Pat Brown	January 5, 1959 – January 2, 1967 (lost election)	Democratic	1962		Glenn M. Anderson
33	Ronald Reagan	January 2, 1967 – January 6, 1975 (not candidate for election)	Republican	1966		Robert Finch (resigned January 8, 1969)
				1966		Edwin Reinecke (resigned October 2, 1974)
				1970		Edwin Reinecke (resigned October 2, 1974)
				1970		John L. Harmer
34	Jerry Brown	January 6, 1975 – January 3, 1983 (not candidate for election)	Democratic	1974		Mervyn M. Dymally
34	Jerry Brown		Democratic	1978		Michael Curb^[h]
35	George Deukmejian	January 3, 1983 – January 7, 1991 (not candidate for election)	Republican	1982		Leo T. McCarthy^[i]
35	George Deukmejian			1986
36	Pete Wilson	January 7, 1991 – January 4, 1999 (term limited)		1990
36	Pete Wilson	January 7, 1991 – January 4, 1999 (term limited)		1994		Gray Davis^[i]
37	Gray Davis	January 4, 1999 – November 17, 2003 (recalled)^[o]	Democratic	1998		Cruz Bustamante^[i]
37	Gray Davis	January 4, 1999 – November 17, 2003 (recalled)^[o]	Democratic	2002
38	Arnold Schwarzenegger	November 17, 2003 – January 3, 2011 (term limited)	Republican	2003 (special)^[o]
				2006		John Garamendi^[i] (resigned November 3, 2009)
						Mona Pasquil^[i] (acting)
						Abel Maldonado^[h]^[p] (appointed April 27, 2010)
39	Jerry Brown	January 3, 2011 – January 7, 2019 (term limited)	Democratic	2010		Abel Maldonado^[h]^[p] (appointed April 27, 2010)
				2010		Gavin Newsom^[p] (took office January 10, 2011)
				2014		Gavin Newsom^[p] (took office January 10, 2011)
40	Gavin Newsom	January 7, 2019 – present^[q]		2018		Eleni Kounalakis

Living former Governors of California

As of February 2026, there are five living former Governors of California, the oldest being Pete Wilson, who served as the 36th Governor of California (served 1991-1999), at 92. The most recent death of a former governor was that of George Deukmejian, who served as the 35th Governor of California (served 1983-1991) on May 8, 2018.

Jerry Brown
(1975-1983)
Born (1938-04-07)April 7, 1938
(age 88 years, 83 days)
Pete Wilson
(1991-1999)
Born (1933-08-23)August 23, 1933
(age 92 years, 310 days)
Gray Davis
(1999-2003)
Born (1946-12-26)December 26, 1946
(age 79 years, 185 days)
Arnold Schwarzenegger
(2003-2011)
Born (1947-07-30)July 30, 1947
(age 78 years, 334 days)
Jerry Brown
(2011-2019)
Born (1938-04-07)April 7, 1938
(age 88 years, 83 days)

References

↑ "Peter Hardeman Burnett". National Governors Association. 3 January 2011. Retrieved July 10, 2019.
↑ Durham, Walter T. (1997). Volunteer Forty-niners: Tennesseans and the California Gold Rush. Vanderbilt University Press. p. 193. ISBN 0-8265-1298-4. Retrieved August 4, 2010.
↑ "Milton Slocum Latham". National Governors Association. 3 January 2011. Retrieved July 10, 2019.
↑ "Newton Booth". National Governors Association. 3 January 2011. Retrieved July 10, 2019.
↑ "Hiram Warren Johnson". National Governors Association. 3 January 2011. Retrieved July 10, 2019.
↑ "Rolph Victor in California Race". Nashville Banner. Nashville, Tennessee. August 28, 1930. p. 13. Retrieved February 14, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
↑ "Earl Warren". National Governors Association. 3 January 2011. Retrieved July 10, 2019.
↑ "Biography of Earl Warren". Earl Warren College. Retrieved December 13, 2018.
↑ "Goodwin Jess Knight". National Governors Association. 3 January 2011. Retrieved February 14, 2020.
↑ "Statewide Special Election". California Secretary of State. Archived from the original on October 12, 2008. Retrieved June 23, 2020.
↑ Upton Oot, John (January 7, 2011). "Newsom's Dual Role Raises Legal Quandary". The Bay Citizen. Archived from the original on April 19, 2016. Retrieved June 23, 2020.

Notes

↑ Data is sourced from the National Governors Association, unless supplemental references are required.
↑ Lieutenant governors represented the same party as their governor unless noted.
↑ A civilian government was formed in late 1849 prior to official statehood and operated as the state government for ten months before official statehood was granted.^[1]
↑ Burnett resigned, citing personal reasons; he was reportedly unhappy with the legislature, and wanted more time to manage his business.^[2]
↑ Latham resigned to take an elected seat in the United States Senate.^[3]
↑ First term under an 1862 constitutional amendment, which lengthened terms to four years.>
↑ Booth resigned to take an elected seat in the United States Senate.^[4]
1 2 3 4 5 Represented the Republican Party
1 2 3 4 5 6 Represented the Democratic Party
↑ Johnson resigned to take an elected seat in the United States Senate.^[5]
↑ Richardson lost the Republican nomination to James Rolph.^[6]
↑ Warren resigned to be Chief Justice of the United States.^[7]
↑ Warren ran as a Republican for his first and third terms. For his second term, he won the nomination of the Republican, Democratic, and Progressive parties.^[8]
↑ Knight instead unsuccessfully ran for United States Senate.^[9]
1 2 Davis was recalled and Schwarzenegger elected to replace him in a special election.^[10]
1 2 Newsom delayed his swearing in as lieutenant governor until January 10, 2011, to remain mayor of San Francisco; Maldonado stayed on as lieutenant governor until then.^[11]
↑ Newsom's second term expires on January 4, 2027.

[nga-burnett-3] "Peter Hardeman Burnett". National Governors Association. 3 January 2011. Retrieved July 10, 2019.

[5] Durham, Walter T. (1997). Volunteer Forty-niners: Tennesseans and the California Gold Rush. Vanderbilt University Press. p. 193. ISBN 0-8265-1298-4. Retrieved August 4, 2010.

[nga-latham-7] "Milton Slocum Latham". National Governors Association. 3 January 2011. Retrieved July 10, 2019.

[nga-booth-10] "Newton Booth". National Governors Association. 3 January 2011. Retrieved July 10, 2019.

[nga-johnson-14] "Hiram Warren Johnson". National Governors Association. 3 January 2011. Retrieved July 10, 2019.

[16] "Rolph Victor in California Race". Nashville Banner. Nashville, Tennessee. August 28, 1930. p. 13. Retrieved February 14, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.

[nga-warren-18] "Earl Warren". National Governors Association. 3 January 2011. Retrieved July 10, 2019.

[20] "Biography of Earl Warren". Earl Warren College. Retrieved December 13, 2018.

[nga-knight-22] "Goodwin Jess Knight". National Governors Association. 3 January 2011. Retrieved February 14, 2020.

[24] "Statewide Special Election". California Secretary of State. Archived from the original on October 12, 2008. Retrieved June 23, 2020.

[27] Upton Oot, John (January 7, 2011). "Newsom's Dual Role Raises Legal Quandary". The Bay Citizen. Archived from the original on April 19, 2016. Retrieved June 23, 2020.

[1] Data is sourced from the National Governors Association, unless supplemental references are required.

[2] Lieutenant governors represented the same party as their governor unless noted.

[4] A civilian government was formed in late 1849 prior to official statehood and operated as the state government for ten months before official statehood was granted.^[1]

[6] Burnett resigned, citing personal reasons; he was reportedly unhappy with the legislature, and wanted more time to manage his business.^[2]

[8] Latham resigned to take an elected seat in the United States Senate.^[3]

[9] First term under an 1862 constitutional amendment, which lengthened terms to four years.>

[11] Booth resigned to take an elected seat in the United States Senate.^[4]

[lt-rep-12] 1 2 3 4 5 Represented the Republican Party

[lt-dem-13] 1 2 3 4 5 6 Represented the Democratic Party

[15] Johnson resigned to take an elected seat in the United States Senate.^[5]

[17] Richardson lost the Republican nomination to James Rolph.^[6]

[19] Warren resigned to be Chief Justice of the United States.^[7]

[21] Warren ran as a Republican for his first and third terms. For his second term, he won the nomination of the Republican, Democratic, and Progressive parties.^[8]

[23] Knight instead unsuccessfully ran for United States Senate.^[9]

[elect-2003-25] 1 2 Davis was recalled and Schwarzenegger elected to replace him in a special election.^[10]

[newsom-26] 1 2 Newsom delayed his swearing in as lieutenant governor until January 10, 2011, to remain mayor of San Francisco; Maldonado stayed on as lieutenant governor until then.^[11]

[28] Newsom's second term expires on January 4, 2027.

[a]

[b]

[c]

[d]

[e]

[f]

[g]

[h]

[i]

[j]

[k]

[l]

[m]

[n]

[o]

[p]

[q]

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8]

[9]

[10]

[11]